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Re: It's The Opponents Job!

Look at it this way. That play may make the Steelers and every other opponent defend our FG attempts with that play in mind instead of going all out for a block. Or not. All I know for certain is it royally pissed off the Raider fans in the table next to ours. LMAO.

Re: It's The Opponents Job!

Originally Posted by MarkS

Especially when you consider that this is the same QB who once hung 24 points on us in the 4th quarter alone (which could easily have been 28, considering they opted to kick a chip-shot FG to win the game when they had a 1st-and-goal from the 5). See the boxscore from the Dec 5th, 2004 Ravens/Bengals game...also played at M&T, BTW.

Is this Oak team as good as that Cincy team? No. But so what. with 20+min to play in the game, you should never have to apologize for maximizing your scoring opportunities.

Yeah, anything can happen, but the odds we lose a 27 point lead from that point on is miniscule (but above zero). Even the game you mentioned we only lost a 17 point lead; had they scored that 4th TD vs the chipshot, we could have lost a 21 point lead.

Obviously I couldn't care less that we faked the FG, but like any decision there are risks and rewards. For one thing, if we miss it, we are only up by 3 scores (24 pts). Any points, read: gimme FG, makes it a 4 score game. The TD itself (successful fake) still only makes it a 4 score game (though different, harder scores and conversions are needed for the opponent). Then there is the risk the other team starts cheap-shotting people, or brawls break out, injuries, suspensions, etc.

I would be interested to know what kind of odds of success Harbaugh was assuming when he made the call. I would assume very high based on what they saw on tape. It also almost looked like Harbaugh was surprised by the fake, though I would need to check the replay.

I wonder if he gives Rosburg some kind of leeway about faking kicks or punts? I would tend to doubt it, but maybe it could have been some kind of open-ended permission like "if you want to work on some special plays, feel free" (after we got a 3 score lead). Like I said I would like to see the replay to re-check Harbaugh's expression, he didn't really look happy if I remember it correctly. Not mad either, just sort of expressionless.

Sam Koch is the one who calls that fake. Harbaugh has said in the past that anytime Sam reads the defense loaded up to try and block it from the offense's right, he has the option of jogging it in from the left. We've done it twice in two years and both times it looked identical and was executed perfectly.

Further, the idea that running the fake could lead to cheap shots by the Raiders can be dismissed entirely by the fact that they picked up their FOURTH personal foul for late hits or face masking on that drive. They were already cheap shotting. That TD was our response. (My dad and I both predicted something like it when Curry picked up his second late hit penalty. As soon as it happened we looked at each other and said that Flacco was going to go back to the hurry up and bomb them into submission to teach them a lesson.)

My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging. -Hank Aaron

Re: It's The Opponents Job!

Originally Posted by ActualSpamBot

Sam Koch is the one who calls that fake. Harbaugh has said in the past that anytime Sam reads the defense loaded up to try and block it from the offense's right, he has the option of jogging it in from the left. We've done it twice in two years and both times it looked identical and was executed perfectly.

Further, the idea that running the fake could lead to cheap shots by the Raiders can be dismissed entirely by the fact that they picked up their FOURTH personal foul for late hits or face masking on that drive. They were already cheap shotting. That TD was our response. (My dad and I both predicted something like it when Curry picked up his second late hit penalty. As soon as it happened we looked at each other and said that Flacco was going to go back to the hurry up and bomb them into submission to teach them a lesson.)

Maybe it can also be payback for them pulling awful trades that fave our enemies free draft picks (Patriots and Bengals) and free Randy Moss's (Patriots).

Re: It's The Opponents Job!

Originally Posted by ActualSpamBot

Further, the idea that running the fake could lead to cheap shots by the Raiders can be dismissed entirely by the fact that they picked up their FOURTH personal foul for late hits or face masking on that drive. They were already cheap shotting. That TD was our response. (My dad and I both predicted something like it when Curry picked up his second late hit penalty. As soon as it happened we looked at each other and said that Flacco was going to go back to the hurry up and bomb them into submission to teach them a lesson.)

I am not sure how you are "dismissing entirely" the increased chances of cheap shots simply by saying there existed cheap shots before the, apparently retaliatory, fake FG. If anything, such retaliation increases the odds of more cheap shots.

But I appreciate the explanation of Koch having the green light there, because it sure looked to me that Harbaugh was as surprised as the rest of us.

Re: It's The Opponents Job!

Hell, I don't care. And for all of those claiming that this Raiders team beat the Steelers, they also had healthy RB's and D-line. While it's the same in W/L column... it isn't the same and you know it. Anyhow, I hope Sam Koch is happy with his silly TD... while exposing himself to a big hit (on a meaningless play) that could sideline one of the best punters and holders for the season (and our teams ability to switch the field position advantage in the playoffs). Congrats!

I'm happy the Ravens won. I'm happy they won big. Lets see what happens next week.

Re: It's The Opponents Job!

Running the fake with 5 minutes left in Q4 of a blowout would have been classless.

Running the fake with 5 minutes left in Q3 is just football, regardless of what the score is.

Agreed. If anything, it demonstrates respect in Carson Palmer's abilities to put points on the board with still 20 minutes left in the contest.

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.There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the universe is for and why it is here it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarrely inexplicable…

There is another theory which states that this - has - already - happened…

Re: It's The Opponents Job!

Originally Posted by RedSkins Fury

Hell, I don't care. And for all of those claiming that this Raiders team beat the Steelers, they also had healthy RB's and D-line. While it's the same in W/L column... it isn't the same and you know it. Anyhow, I hope Sam Koch is happy with his silly TD... while exposing himself to a big hit (on a meaningless play) that could sideline one of the best punters and holders for the season (and our teams ability to switch the field position advantage in the playoffs). Congrats!

I'm happy the Ravens won. I'm happy they won big. Lets see what happens next week.